PARADIGM OF IDEAS

Tourism in Pakistan

Tourism is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world, which accounts for 10 per cent of the global GDP. It is an important source of income generation, job creation, poverty reduction, foreign exchange earnings etc. E.g Dubai was rich with petroleum products but they used all the money collected from petrol on tourism and make their country a tourism place where thousands of tourists visits every year.

Pakistan is country which is a great mix of metropolitan cities, natural beauty and a very attractive culture that results in a lot of people visiting Pakistan every year. When it comes to travelling, everyone has different taste. Some people like to visit metropolitans which are culturally rich but offer all facilities to the tourists. Our bigger cities and cultural destinations like Lahore and Karachi attract both foreign tourists and local tourists from extreme southern part or from northern part. The people who have interest in archeology have places like Taxila or Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro to cater to their interest. Mountain trekkers have K-2 and Nanga Parbat. In a nutshell it can be stated that northern areas of Pakistan attract a lot of foreign tourists to Pakistan every year. In fact majority of foreign visitors visit northern mountain ranges of Pakistan as their primary interest. Pakistan has numerous mountain ranges located in various parts of the country. North of Pakistan is truly rich in its tourism potential. With world’s highest mountain peaks, some great lakes, biggest glaciers and the valleys of huge rivers which make Pakistan an agrarian economy, Pakistan has a lot to offer. Some important valleys or tourism places are

Swat Valley
Swat valley is one of the most beautiful valleys located in Pakistan. Some years back a military operation kept tourists from visiting Swat but now the situation is back to normal and Swat is yet again the paradise visited by many families coming from the plain areas of Pakistan to enjoy some cool summers. Most of the tourists visiting Swat get the first taste of its culture in Mingora. Mingora is located at the bank of River Swat, and is a town known for its extremely tasty Trout fish. River Swat is a beauty to watch. The following scenic places and activities make Swat one of the most popular tourist destinations in Pakistan among the local tourists.

Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK)
Azad Jammu Kashmir is also called as heaven on earth by its regular visitors. Azad Jammu Kashmir offers a lot to its visitors. While in the Valley of Azad Jammu and Kashmir the tourists can view snow covered peak, visit many beautiful valleys like Leepa, Neelum, Jehlum, Kuttan and Keran etc. AJK has some most beautiful rivers and streams and also it offers good but cheap accommodation to the tourists. For the local tourists, all these factors act as great reasons to visit AJK.

Muzaffarabad, Jehlum & Neelum Vellay
Muzaffarabad is administrative capital of Azad Kashmir. Muzzaffarabad is located at the point where Jhelum and Neelum rivers meet. Muzzaffarabad is a regular scattered town like any other hilly capital. What differentiates it from the others is the beauty of majestic mountains surrounding this city. Neelum Valley runs parallel to Kaghan valley and its total length is 240 km. This valley is lush green, offers a lot of scenic views, water sports opportunities and trekking opportunities for all those who are interested. There are many reasons for the tourists to visit this valley however; the following reasons make Neelum Valley matchless for the tourists.